No abstract

Background and Objective: This study assessed price differences by comparing annual treatment costs of similarly available orphan drugs in France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Spain, Sweden, and UK. Methods: Annual treatment costs per drug were calculated using ex-factory prices from IHS POLI and country price databases. The treatment cost in the comparator country was compared to the UK and ratios were analysed. Subanalyses were done on disease areas and UK cost quartiles. Results: 120 orphan drugs were included. Compared to the UK, the average costs were more expensive in France (1.13), Germany (1.11), Italy (1.08), Spain (1.07), and were cheaper in Sweden (0.99) and Norway (0.88). The average ratios offered a restrictive view as ratios were greatly heterogeneous (0.26 to 1.92) which was also seen in the different disease areas. The averaged ratios varied minimally among the cost quartiles which shows that cost differences were similar for the most expensive and least expensive orphan drugs in the UK. Conclusions: Individual orphan drug prices can vary widely across European countries, although on average these differences are relatively minor. This study suggests that in Europe, we may not be able predict which country may have higher or lower prices for orphan drugs.

Objective: The study compared the relative cost differences of similar orphan drugs among high and low GDP countries in Europe: Bulgaria, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Norway, Poland, Romania, Spain, Sweden, UK. Methods: Annual treatment costs per patient were calculated. Relative costs were computed by dividing the costs by each economic parameter: nominal GDP per capita, GDP in PPP per capita, % GDP contributed by the government, government budget per inhabitant, % GDP spent on healthcare, % GDP spent on pharmaceuticals, and average annual salary. An international comparison of the relative costs was done using UK as the reference country and results were analysed descriptively. Results: 120 orphan drugs were included. The median annual costs of orphan drugs in all countries varied minimally (cost ratios: 0.87 to 1.08). When the costs were adjusted using GDP per capita, the EU-5 and Nordic countries maintained minimal difference in median cost. However, the lower GDP countries showed three to six times higher relative costs. The same pattern was evident when costs were adjusted using the other economic parameters. Conclusion: When the country’s ability to pay is taken into consideration, lower GDP countries pay relatively higher costs for similarly available orphan drugs in Europe.

No abstract